


Haunted Eyes

by barbex



Series: The Exciting Life of Zevran [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Gen, Young Zevran, before game, implied animal death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-09
Packaged: 2018-08-30 01:06:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8512855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barbex/pseuds/barbex
Summary: Young Zevran lives happily in the brothel but he hasn't been bought to take care of the girls there. He is supposed to become an assassin. This is a fate he can not escape.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I saw this amazing picture by haveueverlickedalamppostinwinter on tumblr and I just had to write a story for it. 
> 
> (http://haveueverlickedalamppostinwinter.tumblr.com/post/133606586327/still-zevran-trash) 
> 
> The artist has given me permission to post the picture here.

 

 

Young Zevran 

***

“Zevran, it’s time,” Madame Callinery whispers to him.

“Why can’t I stay here?” he asks, hating how high his voice sounds. He likes it here among the women and men of “The Glistening Loins” brothel. He pets the cat on his lap once more before he gets up, setting the animal down. It lets out a squeak in protest and rubs itself on his legs.

“You can come back at night and sleep here,” Callinery says. “I spoke to Master Kerren, he will allow it for another year.” She wipes a few stray hairs from his face. “I see that Bella has the night off, so you’ll have someone to talk to when you come back.”

A cold voice comes from the door, making her flinch. “He doesn’t need to be coddled. The Crows have paid good coin for him, he has to earn his keep now.” They have not heard him come in. It is expected of an assassin to be silent on his feet and this Crow was obviously a master.

Madame Callinery collects herself quickly and raises herself up to her impressive height. She is tall for a human woman but her height has nothing on the deadly aura of the Crow in the black hooded cloak. Still, she doesn’t avoid his eyes. “He is only ten, still a child.”

The Crow ignores her and stares down at Zevran. “Come now boy, Master Kerren has great plans for you.” He turns, not waiting for Zevran to acknowledge him. He walks out but stops in the door, turning to Callinery. “Madame, he is a Crow, he will learn the trade. If he does what he’s told, he might have a good life, if not, he will be killed before his next birthday.”  He turns around and looks at at Zevran from under his hood again. “You won’t do him any favors by coddling him.”

“He is still a child and I will treat him as such,” Madame Callinery snaps at him and puts her hand on Zevran’s shoulder.

Zevran carefully removes her hand and smiles up to her. “It’s alright,” he says and follows the Crow out.

Madame Callinery sighs and begins to randomly clean the kitchen to distract herself. She always knew that this day would come, from the very first day when Master Kerren had brought the half starved boy to her to wash and feed him. His eyes had had a haunted look back then and he didn’t say a word for weeks.

But after a while he blossomed into a charming young boy, full of smiles. He became friends with everyone in the brothel. He took care of the young girls and boys when a patron had been rough, washed them and made them smile with silly little stories. He helped the mothers take care of their children while they worked and brought treats and sweets to the dancers.

Even the cats became his friends, following him around and sleeping where he slept. He was never alone, always holding someone in his arms at night or being held by someone who needed a friend.

Madame Callinery sighs again. Such a sweet boy should not have to become a killer.

***

Zevran comes back late at night when most of the patrons have already left. He comes in quietly, naked feet inaudible on the carpeted floor.

Bella sees him first, having waited for him for an hour already at the bar next to a sleeping drunk.

“Zevran!” She jumps off the chair and runs to him and hugs him. But he doesn’t return the hug like he normally would, just slumps against her shoulder, making her stumble.

“Zevran, what is it?” she asks but he doesn’t answer.

Madame Callinery places her hands on their backs and guides them upstairs. Zevran walks between the two women, his head hanging low. They wash him, brushing grime out of his blond hair and then lead him to the bed. He curls up like a baby.

“Do you want me to stay?” Bella asks.

Zevran only nods and she crawls into bed with him and pulls him into her arms.

Madame Callinery kneels down to look at him. “What happened, my boy?”

He opens his eyes and she almost recoils from them. The haunted look is back, so much pain and suffering etched into his eyes.

“The crows are killers and I’m supposed to be one of them. I have to learn to kill,” he says and his voice sounds years older than this morning. “You have to practice how to kill and they… there was a cat…”

Bella cries out and hugs him harder. “Oh, Zevran, oh dear…” she cries.

Madame Callinery nods, swallowing her own tears. “I’m sorry my boy. You sleep now and tomorrow is another day.” She gets up and leaves, closing the door to Bella’s sobs. She leans back against the door and sighs.

Those haunted eyes will be with her forever.

***

 


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